I pleaded with him. Just hold on – and I will help you get this guy Steve. We’ve got help coming – they are on the way now. You can pull through.
With Steve’s blood pooling beneath me, he looked me in the eyes, said something brave and funny, and then he took his last breath and died.
I couldn’t cry about it then, but I am crying in my dream now. God damn it Steve, why couldn’t you wait?
That man in the suit. I will never forget what he looks like.
* * *
Dana and Joseph walked into a well-equipped gymnasium where several big zombies were working out. They looked like military-trained men: short hair, tight muscles, and their clothes had that “back from fighting in the desert” quality.
She recognized a symbol on the wall that she’d seen before. It’s the double-cross symbol she caught a glimpse of at the church, when she looked into the hall.
“Hey guys, this is Dana. She’d like to interview with us for a job.”
They all stopped working out and came to meet the new recruit.
Joseph announced to the group, “How about we start with some one on one sparring? Jack – you look like you’re ready for some action.”
Jack grunted in acknowledgement, and made his way over to a large padded square zone in the gym.
Joseph turned to Dana. “In this test, you are trying to incapacitate – but not kill – an attacker. No weapons allowed, and no using any equipment in the gym. You can put items from your pockets over here. Just say uncle or tap out if you wish the test to end.”
Dana emptied her pockets and walked over to Jack in the middle of the area. She bowed her head slightly and went to shake Jack’s hand. “Great to meet you Jack.”
Jack took a swing at her – she ducked.
“So much for formalities, hey Jack?”
Jack rushed towards her, arms in an outstretched position, ready to tackle.
Dana jumped to the side with a tuck and roll.
Jack was at least a foot taller than Dana, and likely twice as heavy. Dana considered her options.
Jack lumbered over to grab her again. Dana steped toward him, and attempted to push him over Judo-style, leveraging his weight and velocity.
He stumbled, but did not go down. As he passed her, while stumbling, he grabbed some of her shirt.
She twisted and pulled her shirt away from his grasp while positioning herself behind him. Using his hunched position to her advantage, she leap-frogged on to his broad shoulders. She wrapped her arms around his throat in a choke hold, and cemented her position by wrapping her legs around his arms and chest.
“Learned this one from my friend Jake,” she chatted conversationally into his ear.
For the first time, Jack spoke. “I’d recommend you go back for some more lessons.” He jumped up, higher than she expected he could, as he turned his upper back toward the floor.
This is going to hurt, she realized as she scrambled up to get out of the way. As his body headed towards the floor, she launched off his shoulders, ramming him into the ground at twice the velocity.
Jack was clearly winded from the fall, but he was determined. He slowly got up on one arm, swinging his body around.
This is the best chance I’m going to have, Dana realized. She grabbed his free arm and pulled it behind him while pushing him off balance. He landed on his chest.
Dana pulled his arm up behind his back, almost enough to break it.
“Okay, I give!” Jack rumbles. “You don’t have to break my arm.”
Sprinkled clapping erupted from the room as the men looked at each other, nodding their heads with wide eyes. She had passed the first test. Clearly, several of the zombies didn’t think she would.
“Impressive Dana – that was quick.” Joseph ran up to pat her on the back. “If you’d like to take a break before the next test – that’s ok.”
“I’m ready.”
“You two – in the ring.” He pointed at one small and one large-ish zombie in the room. “In this test, you are attempting to evade two officers of the law that are going to take you down. Again, there are no weapons allowed. This is a timed test – to see how long you can evade them before capture. You can step outside the ring – but just one or two steps please. No running elsewhere in the gym. Okay?”
Dana nodded, and walked to one corner. The other two zombies stepped into the opposite corner.
“Ready – go!” Joseph declared, setting the timer on his watch.
The shorter zombie came into the ring with a pair of handcuffs. He opened one side and held it menacingly as they both advanced on Dana slowly.
Dana stayed on the right side, with the big one next to her. He reached for her casually as she swatted and kicked his hands away a few times. She kept moving as she struck, in an attempt to keep the big guy between her and the little zombie with the cuffs.
Dana realized that they could easily tire her and wear her down with this approach. She was expending much more energy than the large zombie was. She needed to change tactics while she still had the energy.
The big zombie lunged for her, but it was only a half-hearted attempt – he was saving his strength, waiting for a real opportunity. She butted into his side and threw him over her shoulder. As she watched the big zombie go down, she feigned a loss of balance, holding herself up with one arm. The little zombie rushed to place her remaining wrist in the cuffs while in her weakened position.
She caught this out of the corner of her eye, grabbed the small zombie’s arms, pulled, and tripped him over the large fallen zombie. She took control of the open cuff and to the small zombie’s surprise, put it on him.
While he was still in shock from this turn of events, she flipped open the other side of the cuffs and wrapped it around the big zombie’s ankle, locking them together.
She took a small step back to gaze over her handiwork. The small zombie, leaning over with his legs spread around his friend, was not to be discouraged. He pulled his keys out of his pocket to unlock himself.
As he looked over the keys to find the small handcuff key, Dana kicked them out of his hand and into the air, catching them with one hand. She then throws them across the gym and into a large wastebasket in the corner.
All of the big tough zombies in the room were amazed, and their impressively loud and generous applause showed it.
“Dana, that was incredible! We have never seen that outcome before, just brilliant. Let’s take a quick break and meet the guys here before we introduce you to the third test.”
Clearly she was making an impression.
* * *
I was meeting with Dr. Zachman inside, after introductions.
“Please Rob, call me Jake. After all the world’s consequences of my actions as a doctor, I don’t really feel I deserve the title.”
This research center is part hospital, part zombie community center, and part lab. Zombies in gowns and casual clothes walk the grounds around us. We are seated in comfortable chairs in the common area.
“I’m here to see what you might know about some zombie developments we’re becoming aware of in Seattle Jake.”
“Ask away. I’m always happy to help the police.”
“Have you heard of any private or government zombie military units?”
Jake is clearly surprised. “No – I haven’t – have you encountered such a thing?”
“We think so.”
“I imagine there could be some of this type of activity overseas. They don’t tell us much about what’s happening with their zombie population in many other countries. They still don’t entirely trust us. But here in North America, I’m pretty sure every state and province is only using zombies – in a limited way mind you – for police services. Our governments have been very vocal about not giving zombies any military privileges.” His answer and demeanor seem open and honest, he isn’t hiding anything.
“Another question for you Jake. How about controlling zombies for criminal purposes – is that poss
ible?”
The doctor starts into a long-winded explanation as he thinks about the question. “Each zombie has their own special mix of empathy, ego, and emotional control – plus of course their personal tendencies before they turned.
“Our test rates each zombie in all of these areas to determine how well they will do socially. Will they be empathetic to the plight of others? Do they have good self-awareness; do they recognize the impact of their behavior on others? How good are they at controlling their diminished emotions during times of stress?
“Zombies below level five are more childlike and susceptible to suggestion. If they receive sufficient positive reinforcement for inappropriate behaviors, they can be influenced to behave badly. This is why regular reminders of good compliance with the rules are periodically included in all zombie police programs.
“Even zombies in levels five to seven can be fooled into thinking their bad behaviors were in fact good and ethical if those in power omit certain details or stress the right facts.”
There is something here I don’t understand. “But I thought level seven zombies were practically human? Isn’t level seven pretty much the same as human?”
“Oh no, not at all. Level ten is human. Level seven is the highest level of zombie we have ever encountered, which is why people often make this mistake.”
We sit quietly for a while, as I go over this new information.
“Doc, in the wrong hands, understanding their level is an invitation to manipulate hordes of zombies.”
He considers this, and then replies. “I never thought about it that way, but you may be right. Yes, now that I think about it – you are absolutely right.”
We both sit quietly for another moment.
“Hmm,” Jake says. He is thinking about the right way to say something.
“Yes?” I inquire.
“No disrespect intended here Rob, as I have nothing but the best feelings towards your father. He thinks about the world in terms of security and control, much like you do.”
“Go on.”
“In all of the weeks that we worked together on the zombie police training program, I wonder why he never mentioned this perspective.”
* * *
“What level are you Dana?” Joseph inquired of the new potential hire.
“Level four.” Dana hoped that by lying now, Joseph will underestimate her to her advantage later.
“Wow – you show great self-control for a four.”
Dana had a chance to rest and meet with all of the guys that were in the gym. They were a good bunch of zombies – although she recognized two of them from the pictures Phil had taken of the illegal drug recovery.
Joseph sent three of the zombies ahead for the final test – they waited for Dana and Joseph to join them outside in a barricaded area used for combat training. The area was made up of walls and obstacles. No ceiling however – it was open to the sky.
Joseph gave Dana a light-weight paintball pellet gun for the final firearms test, and he took one himself.
Dana asked him, “no goggles?”
Joseph looked surprised. “What, you need goggles?”
“No, but you will.”
The other three waiting hear this exchange and laughed. “Ha – I like this lady boss. Reminds me of my mom.”
Joseph smiled and addressed them all. “Okay guys, go ahead and get into position. Dana, I’ll be the target in this test. Your job is to take me out, without being taken out yourself. You’ll face the other three on the way. True to our zombie strengths, only body shots and headshots count as kill shots – removing the player from the game. If you are hit anywhere else, such as a leg or arm – you may continue, and so can we. Once we start, you must stay in the barricaded area. Sound good?”
“Yup.”
“Okay Dana, good luck. Hopefully I’ll see you in there. Give me one minute to get into position.” He smiled and ran inside.
Dana waited for a minute, and then looked inside. A protected hallway began the course, followed by an opening to the left, with a small area for cover beyond it. The remainder of the course was obscured from view in her current location.
She approached the opening. “How’s it going guys?”
Two guys answered with, “Doing great Dana,” and “Having fun.”
She then had their approximate position in her mind. Leaping to the covered area in front of her would put her in the cross-fire between them. It’s a trap.
The wall next to her was about ten feet high. She launched towards it and quietly pushed off, giving her enough height to reach for the top with her left arm.
While dangling, she jutted her right foot forward into the open area, drawing fire from two directions. She leaned her head and her firearm a little to the right and took out the first man standing behind cover on the right, who was shooting at her from about three yards away. She quickly peeked around the corner even further and did the same to the second man on the left. Both of them were shot in the head. She looked around the area briefly from this vantage point, and then dropped down.
“Awww Dana – you’re no fun at all. That was too quick!” They both walked past her, heads hanging low.
She could hear movement from behind where the first man was. Quickly, she strode around the corner and took a crouched position near where the second man was. The area had good protection from multiple directions.
The third man hadn’t shown himself yet, but Dana had the upper hand. She could see fairly clearly in the direction his noises were coming from. She kept her gun pointed in that direction, and waited.
Almost a minute passed, and he made his mistake. He poked his head around the corner to look for Dana. Dana shot him in the head before he could hone in on her for a shot.
“Damn it.” He walked out by her towards the front.
Dana hadn’t heard any other movement in the area, and she was pretty sure Joseph was not behind her current cover that she had seen earlier from on high. She took the opportunity to come out from cover and moved into a new position.
Still, there was no sound. The area she was in led to a single doorway containing a hall going in both directions.
“Just you and me Joseph,” Dana asked to see if he would reveal his location.
Silence.
She waited at the entrance, on the left side. He was likely in one of two directions, left or right. She could see a little of the hallway to the right – it was the location of the third shooter. It didn’t look like he was there. She gambled that he was on the left.
She moved around and over to the other side of the entrance, with her sights aimed down the left of the hall. Nothing yet.
She slid her hand and gun into the area, hoping to draw fire. Nothing. Perhaps he was around another corner beyond this one.
She peeked her head out to take a look. Just as she thought to herself, I am right – he is on the left side, she was shot in the forehead.
Joseph stood up to join her. “That was a great run there Dana. Nice job. Lots of people don’t even make it past the first three guards, and nobody has shot me yet in this exercise. If you had jumped in to surprise me, you might have had a chance.”
They headed back inside and wrapped up, with Dana giving her resume and contact information. Joseph explained that he would be in touch after they reviewed her resume and background.
She asked Joseph a few questions about the type of work they take on. “Typically mercenary jobs for government defense,” he explained, “mostly overseas.”
“Any domestic jobs?” She asked.
“From time to time, but they make up less of our portfolio.”
Dana was pleased with the outcome of the morning – she had seen what she needed to see.
She had positively confirmed that these were the men involved in the illegal drug recovery operation.
* * *
The doctor and I were having a good conversation about zombie levels – I’ve learned much more than I already knew.
>
For example, I now know that while zombies have fewer emotions than most humans – they do still have several emotions – such as anger, fear, and happiness. We see a lack of empathy and insensitive responses to social events, and this comes across incorrectly as no emotion.
I ask if anyone has been creating groups of zombies anywhere.
Jake replies. “I haven’t heard about groups of zombies being created anywhere, although from time to time I will hear reports or questions from people asking how someone may have become a zombie at a young age. I figured it was just probabilities – some zombies will be younger than others.
“I and several other doctors have theorized about how there would be many positive health benefits to turning – for people in some conditions – if we could eliminate or control the most injurious brain damage. But no doctors have acted on this that I know of.”
I inquire, “what if we’re seeing lots of youth show up as zombies. Perhaps a dozen or more, in Seattle.”
“Yes.”
“Yes what?” I am confused.
“Yes, in that case, someone is creating zombies.”
“Jake, how would someone create original zombies?”
“Level ones? I don’t rightly know, and I can’t imagine why anyone would want to do that. Level ones just have basic instincts and wouldn’t be much use to anyone.”
“I hear you, but how might they be created.”
“Hmmm. The obvious way is to not take the inhibitor drug. We’ve had a few poor people around the world end up as original zombies because of this.”
“Anything else?”
“Now that you mention it, we did have a couple of fresh level ones come to the center about two years ago. They were caught in a house on fire. They were likely asphyxiated before they were rescued.”
We talk for a while about why asphyxiation might cause the creation of a level one. I explain the potassium chloride we found and our suspicions of what it is used for. He is shocked, but he agrees that this approach will turn the infected into a zombie.
“Okay doc, I have just one more set of questions for you. Have you heard of the Church of the Progressive Faith, or any churches that accept zombies?”
“Yes, this group we have heard of. They are starting to turn up all over the place – every major city in the US, even some here in Canada. I can get you a list of the ones we know about.
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